Where Does 'A Supposedly Fun Thing I'Ll Never Do Again' Take Place?

David Foster Wallace's essay collection 'A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again' covers various locations, but the title essay focuses on his experience aboard a luxury cruise ship in the Caribbean. The ship sails through tropical paradises like Cozumel and Nassau, but Wallace's sharp observations reveal the absurdity and isolation beneath the glossy surface. His descriptions of the ship's endless buffets, forced socializing, and manufactured fun paint a picture of modern leisure that's both hilarious and unsettling. The other essays in the collection jump from the Illinois State Fair to the set of a TV show, showcasing Wallace's ability to find profundity in seemingly mundane places.

The geographical scope of 'A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again' is as wide-ranging as Wallace's intellect. The titular essay documents a seven-night Caribbean cruise aboard the m.v. Zenith, where Wallace confronts the surreal reality of floating resorts. His week-long journey includes stops at stereotypical tourist destinations like Puerto Rico and St. Thomas, but Wallace's genius lies in exposing how these places become hollow backdrops for the cruise's relentless entertainment machine.

Other pieces transport readers to entirely different environments. One essay explores the competitive intensity of junior tennis in Illinois, with detailed depictions of suburban courts and locker rooms. Another takes us behind the scenes of a David Lynch film set, contrasting Hollywood's artificiality with Wallace's Midwestern sensibilities. The collection's locations serve as laboratories where Wallace dissects American culture with surgical precision, finding existential dread in vacation spots and profound meaning in ordinary Midwestern landscapes.

The variety of settings reflects Wallace's restless curiosity. Whether describing the eerie quiet of dawn at the Illinois State Fair or the claustrophobic luxury of a cruise ship cabin, he transforms physical spaces into psychological landscapes. The book proves location isn't just backdrop - it's a character that reveals uncomfortable truths about modern life.

Wallace's masterpiece bounces between locations like a pinball, each setting revealing another facet of American excess. The cruise essay dominates with its vivid portrayal of maritime absurdity - the ship becomes a microcosm of late capitalism, floating aimlessly through postcard-perfect waters while passengers obsess over towel animals and midnight buffets. His descriptions of ports like Playa del Carmen highlight the dissonance between tourist fantasies and local realities.

Contrasting sharply, the Illinois State Fair essay grounds us in Middle America's sweaty authenticity. Wallace finds unexpected beauty in tractor pulls and deep-fried food, treating the fairgrounds with more respect than the cruise's gilded halls. The collection's power comes from these juxtapositions - Caribbean beaches versus Midwestern cornfields, Hollywood soundstages versus suburban tennis clubs. Each location serves as a mirror reflecting our collective madness back at us.